


Maelstrom

by seraphichan



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Captain Eren, M/M, Saboteur Jean, at least he gets a smooch for his trouble, he tries anyways, sexual tension my dudes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-14 01:03:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10525641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seraphichan/pseuds/seraphichan
Summary: “Me?” Eren cocks an eyebrow. “You’re scared of me?”Jean shakes his head. “I’m scared that if we don’t make it you’ll...you might get hurt. Or worse. And I…”It’s a risky plan. A dumb one. Jean can’t flirt his way out of a fish net with a knife, and yet.





	

**Author's Note:**

> ***NOTE: This story is a repost from my [Word A Day Fic (January)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9241490/chapters/20957471) challenge! With the setup of the aforementioned body of work, I couldn't add this piece individually to the EreJean Pirate series, so I decided to post it again separately so all the fics for this au could be found in one neat little place (instead of having to link it every. single. time.)***

“Ship spotted aft and away!” Sasha calls from the crow’s nest.

“Colors?” Eren asks.

“Blue and white wings!”

Eren’s mouth twists into a crooked smirk. “They don’t learn, do they?”

The crew laughs and Jean laughs with them, but inwardly he sighs in relief.

Finally, they’re coming. He’s been on this pirate hell ship for three months now.

Not that he’s complaining too much. The company isn’t bad considering, and the food is surprisingly decent. And if he can complete this assignment from Captain Smith, then he’ll rise through the ranks in no time. Maybe he’ll even make captain himself.

“Let’s give ‘em a good chase!” Eren shouts, pointing out to sea where dark grey clouds have started to form.

Jean frowns. This isn’t good. They're going to sail into it to get away. It's what Eren’s crew is known for after all. It’s why Jean had to board the Rogue in the first place. They needed someone to stop the pirate band from the inside.

Looks like it’s now or never.

“Wait,” he says.

All eyes are immediately on him, but he focuses on the only pair he needs to. A brilliant green, bright and shining and curious.

Jean opens his mouth, but he’s not quite sure how to begin, so he closes it, clears his throat. Why didn’t he rehearse this?

“Come,” Eren says at his hesitation, “we will talk privately.”

A chorus of groans and grumbles erupts from everyone. Jean is fairly certain he hears Sasha shout “Throw him overboard!” from above.

“I listen to my crew. All of them. No matter the situation. No matter how new,” he reminds them, and they all go quiet.

“Eren,” Mikasa speaks up.

Almost all of them.

“We don’t have time to--”

Eren holds up his hand and she closes her mouth, presses her lips into a thin line. Then he motions for Jean to follow him into the captain’s room.

Jean takes a quick glance back as he goes, tries not to shudder at the glare Mikasa gives him. It’s ridiculous how similar she looks to Levi when she does that.

“Speak,” Eren says, closing the door behind them and walking a few paces forward to lean on the table in the middle of the room.

“We’re going to run?” Jean asks.

“Of course.”

“It seems cowardly.”

Eren’s eyes flash. That struck a nerve.

“Are you suggesting we stay and fight?”

Jean nods. He knows the Freedom has Eren’s ship outgunned.

Eren hums in thought. “I admire your guts, but I guarantee they have more firepower than us. And more men.”

Well, shit. Time for Plan B.

“Fine, run then,” Jean says, “but go around.”

Eren squints at him.

Oh no. Was that too obvious? Did he give himself away?

“You’re scared,” Eren says after a few moments. “Of the storm.”

Of course he’s scared. It’s a fucking hurricane and they want to go charging into it. But he’s also afraid that if they do it will take another three months for Captain Smith to find them again.

“Yes,” Jean answers.

“We’ve done this many times. Trust in your crew. Trust in me.”

“But it’s because of you that…” Jean trails off.

“Me?” Eren cocks an eyebrow. “You’re scared of me?”

Jean shakes his head. “I’m scared that if we don’t make it you’ll...you might get hurt. Or worse. And I…”

It’s a risky plan. A dumb one. Jean can’t flirt his way out of a fish net with a knife, and yet.

Red tinges Eren’s cheeks. His eyes have gone wide with shock and...delight?

Hell, if Jean knew it was going to be this easy he would have done this ages ago.

“Um…” Jean says after a while when Eren doesn’t speak. He shifts from foot to foot. Maybe it wasn’t as believable as he thought?

He’s rethinking what to say when Eren pushes himself off of the table and closes the distance between them in two long strides. He still doesn’t speak. Instead he lifts his hand and cups Jean’s chin, rubs his thumb along Jean’s bottom lip. They are chapped from the salty air, but Eren doesn’t seem to mind. He stretches his thumb up to trace Jean’s top lip, licking his own as he does it.

Jean follows the path of Eren’s tongue with his eyes.

Dangerous. This is getting dangerous. But if it buys Captain Smith and the Freedom the time they need...

Jean leans forward.

A knock sounds on the door and Mikasa barges in.

Damn it.

“Eren, they're getting closer.”

Jean glances up at the news, looks past Eren and through the windows to the ship on the horizon. They are closer now. So close that even without Sasha’s insane eyesight he can see their flag. Almost, almost.

Jean takes a deep breath in.

He can do this. Just a little more.

His jaw is grabbed roughly and his attention snaps back to Eren who stares at him, face close, eyes wild and unpredictable. It’s like looking into the storm that Jean is trying to keep them out of.

“Full speed ahead!” Eren shouts, not breaking eye contact with Jean and not letting him go.

Jean hears the message relayed across the deck, the cheers from the crew, the sound of the sails unfurling.

“Mikasa.”

“Yes, Eren?”

“Make sure Jean is comfortable down in the brig.”

Mikasa steps forward and grips his arm, squeezes hard.

“What?” Jean asks, trying to act surprised even though it’s obvious he’s been caught. “Why?”

“For leading them right to us,” Eren says.

And then kisses him.


End file.
